It's only fair

What a mother does for one child she must also do to, I mean for...lol the other. Since yesterday my daughter was transformed into the flower fairy, today my son becomes the forest troll.
The picture I started with.

This was done with Dazzling Reflections.


One head image was extracted and became this. I thought the beard was a nice touch.



And I present to you my son the forest troll....lol (somehow I just didn't feel right labeling my son as a fairy so therefore I went with troll...lol)

If you can use them and want them you can get them HERE

In case you were wondering what my daughter thought of yesterday's post, her response was "That's not very nice....you need to delete that ASAP. As you can see I don't listen to my kids any better than they listened to me when they were younger. Oh being a mom is so much fun sometimes.

What will she think

What do you suppose my daughter will think when she sees what I've done to her picture? I had an old edit that I did with one of her pics. The picture of her and the background I like but I really did a lousy job of extracting around her hair so as far as I was concerned the whole project was a wash. This is what I started with.


Then I took the picture and played around with it in my Dazzling Reflections program and came up with this.


Makes her look pretty goofy and I don't think she would find it very flattering at all....lol So what does a mother do? Well she takes this unflattering image of her beloved daughter and extracts one head image from it and comes up with this. (There was some additional playing around here obviously.)


Now I have a head, but what am I going to do with it? I opened it up in photoshop elements, looked at it awhile and then just started adding a few little things to it. Before I knew it I had created what I call a flower fairy.


After one of these little fairies, I did a few more, all the same but with changes in the hue/saturation. I don't really know what these could be used for or if anyone would even want them but I threw the set together along with one that has no head. This way if you like the body you can add your own flower fairy face to it.

So here is my flower fairy collection freebie for you.

You can download by clicking HERE
I think I'll email my daughter a link to this post and see what she has to say....lol

Hippity Hop Blog Train stopped a day early here.

Yesterday I put up the list for the Hippity Hop Blog train. Today even though I'm a day early I'm going to put up my part for the train. Snag my freebie today and then come back tomorrow and check out all the other wonderful freebies available at each stop.

To download click HERE

Hippity Hop Blog Train

Here is your boarding pass :0) Below are all the train stops for this train. Dont forget to leave some love and remember we arent all on the same time zone. Train leaves the station on March 30th! Happy Scrappin'!!
Angel's Designz
TTs Creations
Made By Justine
Simply Irresistible
KiKeKa Kits
Country Hollow Creations
Creationz by Jo
Classie Creations
Gothic Inspirations
Crazy Lady Scraps
Crazed's Creations
Cazie's Designs
Confessions of a Scrap-aholic
Designs by Pebbles
Hutch's Baby
Scrapping Kittens
JayaPrem's Hangout
Seachell's Scraps
Designs by Regina
Crazy Cakes Scraps
Kita Designz
Knittin Jen
Julie's Jems
Artlor Designs
Urban Mermaid Designs
Southern Scrapz
Moos Scrap World
Channi Ds Scraps
Foxys Designz
Joyful Moments Designs
Aussie Scrap Designs
Country Girl Creations
Digi Cats
Captivated Visions
3 + 1 Scrapping
VanJo Designs
Queen Brat Designs
Jaded Delusions
Purple Dragonfly Creations
Creative Intentionz
Morgaine Creations©
Crystals Crazy PSP
Rockins Ruckus
Heartfelt Perfections
Marlenies Scraps
The Maltese Scrapper
Ann's Scrap YOUARE HERE
Patz Scrapz
The Cats Meow
Connie's Creative Chaos
Linda's Dream Designs
Designs by TeriCandy's Treasures
Foxylady Creations
Blue Velvet DeZigns
Rachel's Expressionz
Designs by Kelly
Marsha's ScrapsBits n Bobs
Twin Mom Scraps
Sugar Kissed Scraps
GBL Creations
Digi Scrapbook Mania
Kolor Scapez Freebies
Damsel Designs
Colleen's Creative Scraps
Tiggs Scrap Designz
Baby Cakes Scraps
Scrapper Girl Designs
Lady Snowflake
Sharon's Creations
Bel Vidotti Scraps
DMK Designs
jbs2designs
Scrappy Deesignz
Graphics by Poka Dot
Badazz Designs
Desejos & Sonhos
ASwtlyre Creation

Kanzashi

Today is the last day of my 4 day weekend and I can't believe I spent the whole time doing next to nothing but playing on the computer. Well I did go shopping on Saturday and spent too much money on things I didn't need, but a girl needs to do that now and then. It's called retail therapy. Don't laugh, I didn't make that up. I first heard about it when my niece Kayla mentioned it....lol

So today, again, I've been sitting here surfing the Internet for inspiration and came across something called Kanzashi, which is the Japanese word for hair ornament. Are you impressed that I knew this?...lol This is my new word for the day.

What I found was instructions on how to make these flowers. http://www.jenminnis.com/kanzashi.html I thought about trying to make them with some old fabric scraps that I have but my butt wouldn't come unglued from the computer chair...lol Instead I made them with pse. I pretty much tried to recreate the picture at the top of the website with the instructions.


Now the best part of my little experiment for the day is that I'm giving my creation to you. In the zip file you will find the picture you see above, with the drop shadow included, 1 without a drop shadow, 1 single petal, 1 double petal, 2 different colored flowers, 1 button, 1 stick and 1 string. To make it even better, you also get the separate pieces in grayscale as well. If all of that isn't enough for you then you might also be happy to hear that I've decided to make this CU ok. Now hop on over to 4 shared and pick it up HERE before I change my mind....lol Just kidding, I wouldn't change my mind about freebies. Enjoy

My blog personality

According to this site http://www.typealyzer.com/index.php?lang=en my blog personality is
ESFP - The Performers

The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves. The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions

I don't know if I really agree with their analysis but it was all in fun so it doesn't really make much difference....lol So what is YOUR blog personality?

Forgot something

I forgot to mention in my last post that the freebie kit contains 2 quickpage desktop backgrounds. Both are pretty much the same but in different sizes. One is 1440 x 900 and the other is 1024 x 768.

Happy Birthday to me

Yes, today is my birthday. I can even admit that I'm 47. When the heck did I get so old?....lol
Anyway, my kids came over to give me a card and gift and I made them sit for a little group picture. It's not the greatest but I haven't done anything to it yet.

This is what they gave me. Isn't that the sweetest? I took a picture of the card too but I won't bore you with that...lol



So in celebration of my birthday I'm going to give all of you a gift. This is a kit that I threw together after I had this bright idea. I made some papers using some pictures I had and it reminded me of a couple times when I was out walking with my camera and clearing my head. Sort of my conversations with God. His way of helping me to ease the stress of everyday life. After the papers were made it led to thoughts of how God has been pushed out and banned from way too many places. I decided that I would make this kit and offer it here as a freebie because God is allowed on my blog. Also, I've changed my TOU for this kit to include commercial use. After all we're talking about God here and who am I to tell someone else how they can or can not use Him in their life. Even though this is called conversations with God, it's not a purely religious kit, but their are a few items included that are.
I did two separate previews, one for the papers and one for the elements but their is only one download. I hope you like the kit and would love to hear what everyone thinks about it.

You can download the freebie by clicking HERE

Think Green

Since I'm part Irish I had to put a post up wishing everyone a Happy St. Patrick's Day


My way of celebrating was to leave work early....lol This is 2 days in a row now. I left 2 hours early yesterday and an hour early today. The paycheck will suck but I've really enjoyed the extra time away from there. Normally if I finish my work early I hang around and find something else to do, either extra cleaning or something but I've been needing time away. And to make it even better I have a 4 day weekend coming. I took a couple vacation days since this coming weekend is my birthday so maybe I'll have time to whip something up and give you all a gift for my birthday....lol
Have a good one everyone, may the luck of the Irish be with you all.

Cafe Mom Scrap Challenge Week 7

I did it to my group again. Like I said in my last post I've been neglecting everything lately and my scrap challenge is no exception. This one ran two weeks again. The theme for this one was 5 things I like about_____.
This one was from whiteprincess2k


Here is Miawas



And this one is mine I used one of gingerscraps kits for this one.

Random thoughts and pictures

Due to employment overload I haven't been very attentive to my blog, housework, cafe mom groups my dog or even other humans for that matter. If that statement makes no sense, what it really boils down to is "work is killing me"...lol So today I'm just going to do some random thoughts and share a few pictures.
It was around September of 2007 when I finally started figuring out how to use my photoshop elements program. Since then I've learned so much about the program and how to use it. In the beginning though, thinking I was so creative, I had wild dreams about quitting my day job and spending my time in front of the computer creating wonderful masterpieces that everyone would be flocking to my door to buy. (I'm a dreamer, so sue me....lol) Then I started working on designing my own digiscrap kits. If you haven't already guessed, that led to another dream of joining a CT and then selling my masterpieces in stores. That is what every designer does right?
So now it's 2009 and this is my reality. I'm still working 40 hours a week, loving my job but resenting everyone I work with because I'm working my butt off and they just mosey through the day. (I have a bit of a type A personality problem...lol) With the designing, I'm still doing it but I'm not on any CT or selling in any stores and I don't foresee that happening in the future. Do I still want that? Not really. I started all of this for enjoyment, if I turn it into designing for someone else or to sell, I've then turned it into a job. I want to do this just for the sheer pleasure of doing it. I want to share what I make with anyone who likes it enough to download it. So my promise to you, my dear readers, is that anything I offer on my blog, in the way of downloads, will always be FREE. The only thing I will ever ask for in return is that you enjoy using it, maybe send a friend or two my way, and that you not claim my work as your own.

So now on to the sharing pictures part of my post
This was a picture I edited of my husband and Lydia (first grandchild) I just love the look on her face. She looks like a little angel doesn't she?



This was a LO I did for a challenge in one of my groups. The pictures is my kids way back when. They were so adorable.



This was another challenge. I cheated and used a quick page that I had made for my last kit. Work is interfering with my creativity....lol


and this last one was an color change, edit challenge.

And we have a winner.

Congratulations Miawa! You won with 40% of the votes.
Although you've already seen the preview for this kit, it didn't have a name then. So now, here it is. I present to you "Miawas Purple perfection" I had decided when I started the contest that the name of whomever won would be included in the name of the kit. A big thanks to everyone who suggested names. You really came up with some good ones. Also a thank you goes out to Photo editing beginners for voting on this and making the decision for me. There's no way I could have picked just one. I would have had to combine them all and had one great big humongous name...lol Miawa, look for a message from me on how to collect that candy bar.


There's nothing left now but to give you the download link so you can go snag your freebie. You can download the kit by clicking HERE

One final thing before I go. I know I said the other day that I was going to wait until Monday evening to post this, but I forgot until after I put this up that I was doing it that way...LOL Senility is a crazy thing.

Challenges

I thought I would share a few things today from some of the challenges on cafe mom that I have participated in.

This is the most recent one. The Lets edit some pictures group had a "Springtime friends scrap challenge" Everyone had to do a LO using the "Springtime Friends" kit by Midnight Scrapping If you want the freebie hop on over to her blog and pick it up. Just to warn you though I did find a few bugs in the kit.....lol (ok so that's a stupid joke, I can't help it)

Here's the preview for the kit I used. Like I mentioned this is a freebie and you can get it at http://midnightscrapping.blogspot.com

The next two pictures were for challenges I did in the group "Seasoned Photographers"

I feel so honored here too because both of these pictures won. Yeah me! (let me pause while I pat myself on the back....lol)

This one was for the March avatar contest

This one was for a contest with the theme "happiness". Hmm must be there are a lot of ladies in the group who agree that you can find happiness in a Reese's peanut butter cup....lol

This is so cool

Yesterday I was reading a blog post at http://thescrappincop.blogspot.com/ She was trying out a program she bought to make fonts. Well she also gave a link to another site and I went and checked it out.

That's right you can turn YOUR handwriting into your very own font. And you can do it for free. It is so easy to do. I definitely recommend you give this site a try. The only thing I should have done differently with mine is fill in all the blanks on the template you have to print out. I didn't do all the punctuation and when I was trying to use it to make that little announcement I didn't have a period or apostrophe. But nothing is stopping me from going back and doing another one. Oh and I should also mention that when you create your font it is yours to do with whatever you want, even commercial use. You hold the copywrite to the font. Now what are you waiting for? Go make a font.

I've posted a poll

Just wanted to let you know that I've posted a poll to decide the winning entry for the "name that kit" contest. I put the poll up in my favorite Cafe mom group just a few minutes ago. I'll give them the weekend to cast their votes and Monday after I get out of work I'll post here who the winner is.
The choices are:
Attitudes
Regal enchantment
Lilac blossoms
Quilters dream
Illusions in purple
Purple perfection
So who will the lucky winner be? I don't know but whoever it is get ready to eat that candy bar!

Are you feeling lucky?

Well you should be, because I have a little freebie for you today....lol Who couldn't use a little "Luck of the Irish" This is just a small kit. It includes 6 papers, and 12 elements.


If you like it you can download it HERE

Just a reminder, don't forget to get your suggestions in for the "name the kit" contest. You only have until Friday and then I'll start the poll.

My first award

I got my first award. Wow. And to make it even better I got it twice. First I got a message from Tabitha at http://tabbyscrapdesigns.blogspot.com/ telling me she had an award for me. Then I was going through my blog list catching up on some blogs and I found out that I also got the same award from http://crazycakesscraps.blogspot.com/

The Premio Dardos award acknowledges the values that every blogger shows in their effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values every day.
The rules are:
1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person that has granted the award and his or her blog link.
2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment. Remember to contact each of them to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

So I'm choosing to pass this award on to the following people:

1. Miawa at http://eachstepitakewithgod.blogspot.com/

2. Deb http://thescrappincop.blogspot.com/

3. Laura http://lauras-little-corner.blogspot.com/

4. Elisa http://elisasbits.blogspot.com/

5. Julie http://mycrazylifeasamomandawife.blogspot.com/

6. Tanyia (my sister) http://xsurvivingmotherhoodx.blogspot.com/

7. Bev at http://bevswebdesign.blogspot.com/

8. Jillian at http://priddysweetscraps.blogspot.com/

9. http://cicadadaydream.blogspot.com/search?q=

10. http://everydaydigitalscrapbooking.blogspot.com/search?q=

I think I'll just have to stop at 10 because my list of blogs I follow really isn't that long but these are the ones that I enjoy the most

just sharing

I just wanted to share a layout I did for a template challenge in one of my cafe mom groups. The template is from Pencil Lines I just love their templates. The kit I used is called Mother's Love and came from Free digital scrapbooking. You can find them HERE

Everyone seems to always do such beautiful layouts with adorable pictures of their children and what do I scrap about? A lousy cup of coffee.....lol But it's not just any cup of coffee, it's got cocoa in it too.

Keep 'em coming

So far I have 4 names for that purpley kit I posted a preview for. Keep those ideas coming. I aleady have a favorite out of the 4 that were suggested but of course I'm not going to vote on this one I'm going to leave it up to my cafe mom team....lol I'll give this till the end of the week and then I'm going to post a poll for the weekend.

Cafe Mom Scrap Challenge Week 6

Another scrap challenge at cafe mom has ended. This weeks challenge was to do a recipe layout.

Here is Miawa's. My mouth was watering when I saw all those chocolate cookies. I just realized she even used my favorite color for the background, no wonder I liked this one so much....lol

Here is one by whiteprincess2k This one sounds so yummy. I may just have to try this one out. (I just want to know if she makes the soup, does she get to have a bowl with the guy?...lol)

And finally here is mine. I just love stir fry. I added a note to the cafe mom post that I don't know what the symbols stand for on the left hand side of my layout. So if I happened to have made any inappropriate statement with them I plead guilty by reason of ignorance....lol

It occured to me just now that I have posted my stir fry recipe in a previous post. Hmm guess I really do like it. I should have thought about that before I did my layout and used something else. Oh well, that's another layout.

Name that kit contest

I'm going to go ahead and do it. This is my first ever contest. (and if it goes well, who knows there could be more)
Here's what you need to do.
Come up with a name for my new kit
Submit your answer here
I will run a poll in one of my cafe mom groups to determine the winning entry
Winner will be announced here (so check back often)
When the winner is chosen I will give instructions on how to collect your price (One candy bar of your choice) Yes, that's right I will send you a candy bar, OK so it's not a big prize but heck according to my state representative I'm living at poverty level.....lol

After this has been properly named of course it will go up as a freebie.